


Talentless Worms

by Mariessa



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Boarding School, Censorship, Child Death, Child Murder, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Eventual Romance, Fan Characters, Fan Killing Game (Dangan Ronpa), Friendship/Love, Investigations, Lies, Manipulation, Mild Blood, Multi, Murder Mystery, Original Character-centric, Post-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Post-Killing School Life (Dangan Ronpa), Post-War, Pre-Killing School Life (Dangan Ronpa), SYOC, Slice of Life, Story Arc, Survival Horror, Suspense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2019-07-25 04:25:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16190048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mariessa/pseuds/Mariessa
Summary: The exams have just begun and a new crowd of students have arrived. Class xx is full of bright and hopeful faces! So many new things have arrived from teachers to friendships but one thing will always remain the same: this school year is about to get real hopeless, death or not.





	1. Chapter 1

**Class + Roster**

* * *

_1)_   _Nyx Agne - Female_

_2) Mayabi Ito - Hermaphrodite_

_3) Ririka Kusakabe - Female_

_4) Wiriamu Popurra - Male_

_5) Chiyo Hattori - Female_

_6) Rika Noburu - Female_

_7) Kazue Fujino - Female_

_8) Xavier Briton - Male_

_9) Suki Miyano - Male_

_10) Joshua Ogawa - Male_

_11) Moriko Rei Shimizu - Female_

_12) Reno Kgeshi - Male_


	2. Chapter 2

_"You call yourselves ordinary people when really you where the talented ones all along."_

_He had killed all ten of the others._

_The white and black bear had given them a choice a choice that had shaken him to the core. Kill or be killed. Save yourself and kill a group of innocent people with the price of your beloved hanging over your head. At first unlike the others he hadn't believed that the bear's controller had captured his family and shrugged off the threats as something made to get him to cooperate. He would never give them the satisfaction of watching him break down and loose his morality for some stupid game._

_But then...the first murder happened. Sadly, he had to admit he was part of the blame for the victim's death. They had been a small boy with wild eyes and sweaty palms who never seemed to shut his mouth when needed to. He thought him as nothing more than a nuisance, some sort of illness they needed to get rid of before spread to the rest of the group._

_"Shut up." He had said it with his voice clear as day in the small garden that night startling the older boy and caused him to turn towards each other. "Don't you ever notice no one ever listens to you when you blabber about useless crap. About defeating this so called 'Mastermind' with your bare hands?"_

_It had been freezing cold that night as they hadn't killed anyone in three days and as punishment the heat in the entire warehouse had been shut off. The beige earmuffs he wore didn't help that much keeping one part of his flesh warm while the other open to the harsh weather. Fresh snow sat at top of his boots as he walked towards the other teen his hands at his sides curled partially in a ball. The wind was chilly and he sniffed dryly as he stopped suddenly._

_A shocked look had spread across the boy's face as they stared at one another almost as if he didn't believe what had come out of the other's mouth. He bit the bottom of his lip causing it to quiver every so often a uncomfortable silence spreading between the two. If anyone else had been near them they could say of was as if you where watching something sickening commence. A apex predator watching a small shivering mouse with no choice in the matter he had gotten caught in._

_Cold wetness seeped in the palm of his hand as he wiped at his forehead. "Um what do you mean by that?" The boy looked around the small area they stood in his normally wild eyes now growing more panicked by the second. "I mean I don't think I cause anyone any trouble by what I say we're all stuck in this hell hole to-"_

_"And that's why you shouldn't act like a selfless idiot." He narrowed his eyes and pulled on his hoodie's draw strings. He began to wonder if maybe he should have worn something heavier._

_The other's mouth slammed shut from the interruption and sat down on a small slab on concrete that sat awkwardly by his legs. It was once a small pedestal but now was nothing more than broken down debris and jagged wood. He couldn't help but smirk inwardly when he noticed the small flinches that went through the other's body from being poked._

_"I don't understand what you mean Michiru. Did I do something to offend you or something?" He asked reaching out to grab Michiru's shoulder only for him to pull back at the cold stare that burned through him._

_Michuri let the words sink in his body completely ridged as he stood there. Wind curled around his long ivory hair and he shuttered wrapping his arms around himself. Did his foolishness offend him? The question only made his anger towards the teen grow with the answer seeming blatantly obvious to him._

_People like him got others hurt or on their case killed with their so called heroic acts of bravery and self sacrifice. He couldn't stand to continue and watch the others slowly begin to listen and be slowly influenced by the **hopeful** words and dreams he rambled about every hour. Just the thought of them actually acting on the idea or acting the sadistic bastard who captured them all..._

_...it made him sick to the bottom of his stomach. Yes what he was about to do was selfish. It was almost as foolish as the man before him but it needed to be done. The others would get over it yet he was positive they would even if the didn't understand or forgive him. He needed to do this._

_The taser felt cold in his gloved hand as he pulled it put of his pocket._

_"Yes. You're going to get us all killed acting like this. You act like meeting everyone, being friends with all of us, solving mysteries will save us when it won't." He growled and let the taser lash out with a crack. "You're like those shitty game protagonists."_

_He lifted the taser up just as the other teen ran at him knocking him down. The taser flew out of his hand as the two struggled punching and clawing at each other. Snow covered his face as Michiru began to blindly kick at his victim with no mercy. A shrill scream left his mouth as he managed to get on top of him and wrapped his hands around his neck._

_He wasn't planning on killing him this way but to just knock him unconscious long enough to let the real murder begin. His family, his little sister, his life flashed before his eyes as he watched blankly as his classmate struggled to breath. The blood of filling his face didn't matter. The beep of his sister's heart monitor didn't matter. The pain on her face as they stopped her medication didn't matter. Watching his two year old sister be killed by the people meant to save her didn't matter._

_Why was he feeling like this? Why was he suddenly filled with fear? With pain? Tremors filled his body as he let go of the teen's throat and let out his own shaky breath. His hands shook as he grabbed the taser and shot it at him for extra measures. A lump sat in his throat as he dragged the teen into a nearby gardening shed and locked the door behind him._

_They would have all the time in the world. That night he had made sure to drug the rest of the students drinks with sleeping medication knocking them out cold. It should last for at least seven hours with one dose but just to be sure he gave them three. He dropped the body down on the ground and tied him to a chair. When he awoke the real murder would begin._

_-:-:-:-:-_

_Screams filled the following night as his classmates awoke from their sweet dreams into a horrible nightmare. Michiru had put his scarf back on and walked up to form down the hall from him knocking on it. Soon enough it burst open revealing a large mass of greying hair and wild blue eyes. A smile spread on his face._

_"Shi-kun I think something happened!" He faked the panic in his voice and began to shake the older teen. "What if someone got hurt or monokuma punished someone else! Shi-kun talk to me!"_

_Shi looked up at him with a cold gaze and he pulled back surprised. Why was Shi-kun of all people looking at him like that? The back of his neck burned as he grew worried and gulped. A growl left the older teens mouth and he balled his hands into fists._

_"That damn bear," He said grabbing hold of Michiru's hands and leaded him down towards the screams of their friends. "I swear to god when I find out who is doing this to us I'll kill them with my bare hands."_

_His panicked died down as he sighed softly. "Shi-kun..."_

_A faint smile spread across his face as fingers wrapped around his own. Shiro or Shi-kun was someone he felt connected to even if they had only known each other for a month before the killing game. He was a reserved person and chose to follow his own path rather than others. The way he carried himself just shouted mysteriousness and self confidence. Even as they walked to his victims grave he knew that Shi-kun would try to shield him from it._

_'...'_

_His head was completely deviod of the regret or horror he had felt during the struggle the night before. Actually he felt numb and cold that following day like some part of his body had been ripped to shreds. He figured he was morning the death of his classmate but in reality he just didn't care to feel any guilt._

_No, he was not a heartless person. He cried when he scraped his knee. When he was happy he smiled brightly and snorted when he laughed. If he ate something sweet he would get a warm feeling in his body and if the world suddenly stop turning he would react like any normal person with raw panic. So when they reached the end of the hallway and the screams died down into loud wet sobs his eyes widened._

_Blood covered the majority of the sheds front door and the bottom of it's dirt floor. Blank eyes rolled around in the dead teen's skull as he sat bent over the back of the chair. His clothes where torn and wet with his own blood and large cuts covered his entire body. It was almost unrecognizable. Tuffs of hair sat on the ground at his feet as if he had ripped it out in his panicked attempted at escaping with flesh festering with yellow puss._

_He had been tortures before being killed a slit on each of his wrists._

_"Oh my god Hiro's dead Hiro's dead!" Yuu one of the people present screeched at the top of her lungs shaking her long blue hair around in the air as she sobbed._

_"I think I'm going to be sick." A redhead boy said covering his mouth with his hands. His dark skin looked kind of green and his eyes were filled with tears._

_He stood there for a moment before grabbing onto Shi's hands tightly and was pushed behind his back to hide himself from the crime. If only they knew who had committed it. What he imagened was crying filled the room as he stood hidden from the other's view. Dullness filled his eyes and he glanced down at the floor._

_Michiru was no longer smiling._

_-:-:-:-:-_

_"NO I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT MICHIRU IS THE KILLER!" Mayu screamed as the small television above them bared the accursed words in red like the monochromes bear's eye._

_'THE VOTE FOR YUU WAS INCORRECT. THE CORRECT KILLER IS MICHIRU'_

_Michiru stood alone at his spot in the trial room his hands in thick black woolen gloves and a pair of black square framed glasses on his face. No emotions had shown on the teen's face as his classmates screamed and hurled their hatred at him. Nothing at all could ruin this moment for him. The world was just wheezing static to him now as he sat alone isolated from those who had trusted him._

_"HIRO TRUSTED YOU! HE BELIEVED IN YOU!"_

_"Why...why didn't you kill me?! Why did you torture Hiro Senpai?!"_

_"YOU'VE KILLED US! YOU'VE KILLED US ALL YOU BASTARD!"_

_He rolled his eyes at the last comment and slowly took off his gloves when finger at a time. An eerie hush filled the room as the wool came off revealing large ugly scars. The nails where gone and those that where left had taken on a ugly black color. A haunted look filled the teen's eyes as he allowed them both to fall to the ground._

_"Michiru your hands..." He turned his head and met the cold glare of Shi-kun._

_His heart stopped and suddenly he felt his body come back to life. Tears spilled down his cheeks as he covered his face not wanting him of all people to see him. Anyone but Shi-kun should see him like this anyone but him. He reached out for the boy that had stolen his heart only to receive a cold betrayed stare back. Then the smell of blood filled the air._

_He **screamed in agony.** Murmurs of shock and horror filled the room as Michiru began to back away from the dead body in front of him. He hadn't thought of what would happen after he killed Hiro. He didn't know about a class trial or a execution. He didn't know. He didn't know._

_He didn't know they'd kill Shi-kun. The dull thud of bodies hitting the floor didn't stop his screams. Seeing his classmates be killed one by one didn't stop his screams. Being forced to watch as they used the weapons given to them to fight one another to survive didn't stop his screams. He kept on screaming and screaming until blood filled his throat._

_When they arrived he fought them and held Shiro's body to his chest sobbing weakly into his dead friend. His whole body burned with rage at the killing game and those who forced him to play it. Screams filled the air as he was pulled away from the trial room and thrown into darkness. He clawed at his throat. He wanted to die._

_(Shiro meeting him at the bus stop.)_

_He needed to die._

_(Why had he been so selfish.)_

_He wanted to die._

_(Shiro)_

_Why wouldn't they stop why couldn't he go home._

_(His parents dead bodies awaited him at his front door step. )_

_He tried so hard to die._

_(Shiro's tear filled eyes followed him whenever he opened his eyes.)_

_Monokuma had lied to him. He said he'd spare Shiro and let them escape together. Now he was alone again._

_(His hands holding onto his hoodie as they arrived at the trial room. A reassuring smile on Shiro's face as he promised everything would be all right.)_

_He cried into his Shiro's chest as they pulled him away. Michiru cried and cried and cried until his chest burned. Blood covered his entire body and stained the air. Nothing remained in the courtroom as the rest of the bodies were taken away to be burned._

_Nothing._

-:-:-:-:-

Memories are funny like that.

They remind you of the good things and the bad things. Our memories are what make us who we are and shape us into a better person. No matter what happens to your mind, no matter how had you try your memories will always remain in your mind even if there not intact.

Michiru looked down at his lap as he sat in the small hospital room. He didn't know where he was or who he even was anymore. The shy boy he had been before was gone having been destroyed the night he killed all his classmates one by one. He didn't remember why he had done it only that it hurt and he felt like he was dying inside.

He still was.

The only thing that kept him company where the small sewn together rag dolls he had been given when he arrived at the hospital. They where his family so he always had them with him despite being nearly seventeen years old. How long had he been in the hospital? He didn't even know the answer to that question anymore.

Talent is what they had wanted. He remembered that much. They had tried to take his talent but they ended up failing and threw him into the hospital. He shuddered and held the dolls up to his chest. Those where bad thoughts, bad memories. He didn't want to remember the bad things he had done or what he helped create.

Those poor kids. He had watched them be taken from their homes by lies and promises of talent. Talent that they would never be able to obtain. At first he just sat and watched it happen but then after a while he tried to talk to them.

So when they brought in the new group he immediately tried to help the girl in the animal hoodie. She had been scared and cried but he gave her the key. The key to the mastermind. He knew she was the leader of the group with her hop brimming at the corners of her eyes. Or they could have been tears.

He didn't know anymore. It had been eleven or was it twelve they had taken? He didn't remember that either. The doll's red eye glared into his soul as he thought the tiny camera recording within it's confines. Michiru had left soon after and waved the girl off as she was forced into the small black van.

Taken to her death. He couldn't save her from that. Maybe the boy with the bright eyes or the girl with the dark aura could? Maybe just maybe he could help them? These thoughts died in his head as his breath shuttered and his eyes became heavy.

The camera turned off in the monokuma doll's eye as it finished recording.


	3. Chapter 3

_About sometime ago..._

_The headmaster's office was surprisingly cold despite the building's heating having restarted only seconds before. It could have been the look in his partner's eyes that caused the coldness in the room or the equally cold look on his face. He looked as if he'd been paralyzed by it and his entire demeanor had changed. Like a flip of a switch the normally cheerful man had become a old, worn down soul again._

_He twitched. The watch on his wrist hit it's final notch of the day before resetting to twelve o clock again. It was just as broken as he was and held some sentimental value to him despite all these years. It hadn't been that long he reminded himself. Maybe four, five years since this all had began. Since the full force of the tragedy had struck again after peace felt like it was finally within reach._

_This is not a mistake, he reminded himself. However the look on his partner's face told him otherwise and he allowed his shoulders to sag when he released another sigh from his body. He has been dreading this conversations for what felt like a decade. In her eyes all that he could see was her anger at him for repeating the mess that had screwed them both up so much in the first place._

_That anger in her eyes that raw and unhinged cold hatred in her eyes chilled him to the bone. It had wrapped around his heart and squeezed it until he screamed uncle just like there past together. In the end everything the had been threw was just a small part of there past, past nobody in the right mind would want to remember._

_He couldn't keep looking at her like this. He needed to explain why he'd done it and betrayed what little trust she had been willing to give him. Or else she'd walk away from him again and he would spend another six months searching every crevice of Japan for just a clue in where she had gone off and ran away to._

_"I know you're disappointed in me. However this shouldn't be about me anymore than it should be about you." Her check twitched and he winced feeling his chest tighten. "You know what happened to us as kids was horrible, unforgivable. So I don't understand why you wouldn't know how important this opportunity is to me."_

_Only the flash of pain in her eyes let him know that she was even listening. The long velvet colored locks hair sat in a ponytail falling in front of her due to stray strands she let hang from it. He remembered when they had been younger and her hair had been longer. He remembered moving the strands back behind her ear and feeling those delicate locks between his fingertips._

_That wouldn't happen ever again at least not until she could understand. She remained in the past and he had been forced into the present ripping there already fragile love apart. Still he held onto the remains and hoped she would smile back at him one day with a real grin not a fake one plastered on for press conferences._

_"You think I don't understand? I understand what's at risk, what we have to do, the lives that stand in the way. It's just I can't believe you of all people would do this." Her face was calm and collected along with her voice only her eyes stared at him a blaze._

_"What?" The headmaster frowned at her scoff watching her get up from her seat and stare down at him._

_Her shoulders shook but she still held her head high. She did that years ago after her supposed death. Late at night when the other future foundation members in her division would be out celebrating with a fresh batch of espresso she'd come to him in her uniform in disarray and her eyes stormy. Night's like those she'd just breakdown in his bedroom allowing the weight of the world to finally be lifted from her shoulders and from his._

_It wasn't like she screamed and tore at her hair. The former ultimate would stand tall staring down at him from his spot on there shared bed and allow the trails of salt water to fall from her eyes. Her hair would stick up in the air and that one braid she always had would be crooked. No words would spoken. He wouldn't ever try to hug her and make her stop. He just watched. Watched the despair and heartbreak unfold._

_This time he didn't feel it._

_"Do you know their names?"_

_He stared up at her his confusion growing. There names? What did the volunteers names have to do with anything?_

_Her small became sharp and her eyes daggers ready to pierce into his soul. A shiver went down his spine and he felt the urge to hide under his desk to escape her gaze._

_"No, you have to understand I have a lot of students in this academy to keep up with so I can't just remember one class by heart." He said._

_She crossed her arms and turned on her heel preparing to walk away from him. From her backside her could see that she was also shaking albeit not as bad as he was._

_"Before you ask them to voluntarily sacrifice themselves for your little experiment at least try to get to know them. Learn about there families, there lives, there hopes, there dreams. Just do something to prove you haven't lost all your human decently." And with that she left closing the door behind her with a small click however it hurt him just as bad as if she slammed it._

* * *

The bed dipped under the girl's weight as she tossed and turned on it a scowl on her face. Her nightgown scratched against her legs and the sound cancelling headphones the school had given her did nothing to block the sound of construction outside her dorm. With a annoyed grunt she sat up blowing a stray piece of hair away from her face and looked around.

On one side of the dorm(basically a mini apartment devoid of a kitchen) sat what looked like a mountain of papers ranging from classwork to simple doodles. The other side, her side, had a much neater display with only a few game cartridges laying near her feet. She picked them up and threw them back onto her bed not even worrying if they'd break from the sheer force of her throw.

The euphoria of deep sleep still sat over her and she struggled to keep her eyes open much less avoid tripping over her roommates shoes. A growl left her mouth before she could stop it and she felt the need to give the sneakers a kick. In the end she just shook her head and picked them up letting them sit safely tucked into a corner near the wall. Her body slumped from fatigue and she opened the bathroom door weakly feeling her feet hit the plush red carpet instantly.

In certain places the schools increased really showed itself and the bathroom was no exception. Marble and porcelain carved itself into the wall along with the bathtub. A air conditioner buzzed on above her and she allowed the sink water to splash up onto her clammy skin her eyes closing in sweet relief.

Ririka slowly took off the headphones and shut the door to block out as much of the sound she could. Still she bristled her annoyance growing as she began to run some bath water watching the murkiness form against the white bowl. A pit formed in her gut as she let the water fill semi to the brim before taking her nightgown off and slipped in. How long had she craved hot water? She couldn't even remember.

Yes she had been more fortunate then others out there in the post apocalyptic world that remained, by anything that hadn't been tainted was a luxury. Her hands cupped themselves under the water and brought it up to her face. There where still some parts that looked pitch black but most of it was completely clear like pure water from a cavern. They must have some sort of water purifiers or something in the faucets...

Her skin buzzed as the water began to steam and she reached to shut it off only to hesitate. How long had it been since she'd been able to have a hot bath. How long before she'd been accepted into the academy. Not since she was at least nine or even before then.

'Just one bubble bath wouldn't hurt. Besides I'm sure Ito won't mind that much if I took a extra minute or two.' She convinced herself allowing the water to reach her nose before shutting it off.

Sinking in was easy however not flinching wasn't. But the water making her skin red wasn't it but the nerves. Deep down that pit in her gut had grown and she felt as if she was gonna vomit all over the place from it. It wasn't the noise that was bothering her anymore or the weird tuna fish salad she had the night before, it was the exams.

Exams. Exams. Exams. That's all they seemed to do anymore besides fruitlessly searching for some hidden talent in one of them. She frowned and allowed herself to sink down further into the tub her eyes heavy.

Admittedly she knew it was a fifty fifty chance of her barely passing the exams and being able to join the main classes. But she knew there was no chance of that ever happening even she actually tried this time. She didn't end want to be here.

'Sweetheart if you ever want to take over for your old dad you have to do this. Our family name is at stake here.' Ririka scowled and slapped one of her hands against the water, the liquid parting in small soapy waves.

"That's all you ever seemed to care about." She said scrubbing at her tangled hair her fingers snagging against the sweaty mess. A look of disgust spread across her face and she dunked her head under closing her eyes as the water hit her face.

Still cleaning her hair did nothing to settle the way her stomach churned and her body felt on fire. It didn't help that now she had to think about her father along with the exams also. Like most kids in her class the exams meant only one thing for you. Either the countless lessons and training you'd undergone the past six months was worth it or you where nothing more then a waste of oxygen.

Likewise, she was the former.

A large loofa sat at her side and a small bottle of body wash at the other. Her eyes went up to the ceiling right where the clock was and she bit her lip. Twenty minutes had already past meaning that her roommate would be up by now and she had only a little time left to wash, get dressed and finish her hair. And knowing them they'd bar into the bathroom as soon as they woke up from their "beauty sleep".

Inwardly she shuttered and she grabbed the loofa drenching it in the perfumed creamy concoction. The school had all there supplies handmade including the soap so it didn't look like what you'd expect soap to look like. It came out in large but smooth clumps painting her skin red from the residue it left when leaving the bottle. She had been told this helps opens your pours into the filtered environment. It felt like sand paper when rubbed against her body.

Deep down she speculated this was because the school was loosing sponsors in the already bare world they lived in. So they had to make there own products out of stuff already had and gave it to students to use in order to save money not caring if it was safe of not. She still had a hard time telling what was blood and what soap.

Despite the burning sensation growing on her skin by the minute Ririka kept up her routine of scrubbing at herself furiously with the large loofa and letting the now mild water wash the suds away. She knew that her skin would most likely be sore when she finished but she didn't have the time to go slow. In fact her upset stomach only made her want to go faster so she could go hide under her blanket until it was time to go.

Her hands twisted around her hair and she let the soapy water slip over them. It wasn't likely they'd let her chicken out of the exam. Unlike in the past where Hope's Peak students could just walk into school, take a test and go do what ever they wanted you where now expected to come to class every single day. No exceptions. And if you didn't you might as well kiss your spot in the prestigious academy goodbye.

As much as she wished she was home in her cluttered bedroom eating snacks snug under her duvet she knew if she purposely got kicked out her father would kill her. The family meant a lot to him almost as much there business and she'd be even more of a screw up then she was now. She could already see the headlines, successful businessman's daughter kicked out of Hope's Peak, family driven into the ground with bankruptcy and not a penny in there pocket's!

Ririka frowned down at her raw hands. That shouldn't have sounded so appealing. Taking over the family business wouldn't be that bad, would it?

"Open up! You've been in there for thirty minutes and I still need to take a shower!" She jumped nearly hitting her head on the back of the tub and grabbed onto the side of it wincing. "Stop hogging all the hot water!"

The air felt frigid against her shoulders and she hesitated to get out of the water. Her skin tingled and the urge to throw up still hadn't settles in her stomach yet. But if she waited any longer the door would probably be broken down by the sheer strength her roommate had not to mention the fierce scolding they would give her about conserving water. Sighing she slowly lifted her body out of the smooth water and set one of feet down onto the carpet.

It felt like pin needles against her skin. However she didn't want to face the rage coming for her if she didn't hurry up and open the door. So she put her other foot down and tried to keep herself from hopping back under. The doorknob twisting back and forth also helped her somewhat.

"I was distracted." She muttered low enough so they wouldn't hear her as she reached the door flicking some of her hair back behind her back.

Before opening the door she grabbed a nearby towel and wrapped around her body, there was no way she was going to face them naked. Especially with the fact that Ito was already pissed with her to begin with and flashing them would only make it worse. Her fingers wrapped around base of the doorknob tighter then before and with a breath she cracked the door open.

The light from the bedroom came in with weak rays and her eyes hurt from the brightness. She grimaced and kept one of her arms wrapped tightly around her chest not wanting to chance it falling down.

Once their eyes met she instantly regretted it. The older teen was dressed in a pair of nightclothes that looked to uniformly for it's own good, a bun held there dark hair up with little pieces sticking up in the air. Their arms where folded over their chest but she could tell that they where struggling to keep them that way.

"I'm sorry." The words just came out her mouth and she bit her lip. It felt weird to be apologizing for something so harmless, something she couldn't control. Honestly Ito just made her very uncomfortable when they where like this.

They sighed and shook their head looking at her with disdain. The bow at the top of there head drew her attention. It so small you could barely see it besides the ruby color it was contrasting with there all white get up. It looked just so out of place for them to wear since from what she knew they weren't that feminine.

"You have nothing to be sorry about just hurry up next time." Ito said putting a hand on there hip. "I don't want us to be late again and have to hear the others complaining."

She nodded in understanding. Unlike most classes in Hope's Peak there's was a complete and utter unit to the staff. If one of them participated in a food fight, they all participated in a food fight. If one of them didn't do there homework they all didn't there homework. Vice versa.

A lock of hair fell in front her face and she inwardly groaned at the sight of a few knots beginning to form. It looked like she'd begin another battle with a hairbrush and the knots once again this time with little time to actually get them out. Unless...she looked up at Ito and opened her mouth slowly as a idea formed in her head.

"Hey can you-"

"No I'm not doing it."

"-help braid my hair.

The gave her a glare before taking the lock of hair into there hands and examining it. Indeed the whole thing was full of knots from her washing it so clumsily and had to be cut if not taken care of immediately. With a sigh Ito looked at her side eyed silently boiling her alive in their mind.

"I just know you always talk about doing your sister's hair and I thought that since we are late you could do mine real quick." She shrugged leaning against the side of the door. "Unless you want to be late of course."

They stared at each other for what felt like a eternity before the other crumbled under her eyes and gave in grabbing a hairbrush from off a nearby counter. Ririka sighed in relief, her hair was a chore to deal with at times. And maybe getting hair done would help take away some of nervousness she felt.

* * *

"Could you have done it any tighter I feel like my scalp's gonna fall off." Ririka whimpered rubbing at her forehead where a small but firmly placed braid sat around her head.

Ito looked at her with narrowed eyes clicking there tongue as they passed a group of third years. Their own braided her swung playfully behind them though the way it's owner looked said otherwise.

"You asked me to braid your hair so I braided it. If you have a problem with how I did it then don't ask me again." Their words where sharp and hit there target straight in the chest.

Recoiling, she declined to answer choosing to look at her feet instead glowering in shame. Sometimes she felt as if her words hurt more then she intended them to, especially now. In her mind she had been joking but now she doubted it sounded like that outside of it. She rubbed at her arm and huffed to herself feeling the air thicken with tension.

Deciding to let the disturbing thoughts lie she crossed her arms over her chest and looked around the busy hallway taking a glimpse at her surroundings. Students of ages, colors and sizes walked around all baring similar uniforms and regulated hairstyles. Over the years the school had cracked down on some of it's codes and the once rambunctious students where all civil and rule going teenagers.

Inwardly she scoffed.

The kids at this school where some of the most dysfunctional teens she had ever met. And she didn't know what that meant about her but it was true.

The familiar sight of the cafeteria doors met her eyes and she suppressed a grimace. Food was the last thing on her mind.

"Hey, is that the brat molesting some girl again?" Ito said causing her to follow their gaze and she sighed shaking her head.

Somewhere near one of the school's laboratories stood a group of what looked to be a group of third years with there height and stature. The other thing she noticed was that the group appeared to be mostly female with the exception of one small boy. Each girl had a look a varying disgust on there face with a few covering there shirts.

Completely red in the face, the tallest of the girls had the teen up by his jacket collar and had him pinned against the wall. A imprint of her hand was drained red on his face and small nail marks had been carved in. The boy looked dazed and his mouth was partially open as he looked at her tight shirt. Some blood dropped down his nostrils but it could have been from the girl's fist instead of attraction.

Ririka recoiled from the scene.

"Yeah it's him."

"Ugh. It's to disgusting to watch." Ito huffed their voice somewhat annoyed.

Ririka frowned wringing her hands together as she watched her classmates be reprimanded. A small part of her felt like he deserved it with his well known perving ways but a majority wanted to run over to crowd and defend him. She didn't think he had to be embarrassed in front of most if not all the other first years and become only known as a peeping tom.

Shivering she stood her ground and looked away from what was happening trying to push what was happening in the back of her mind. Someone else would help him anyway, she reminded herself, someone else would get him out of that mess. So almost at breakneck speed she followed after her roommate with her hands clenched at her sides.

Behind them she could hear the growing chorus of laughter and she gritted her teeth as her cheeks began to burn. She fought the urge to cover her ears and run in the lunchroom and instead kept her head down refusing to let the secondhand embarrassment consume her.

In front of her a hand reached out and grabbed one of her fists, uncurling it and holding it. They sighed turning to look back at the upperclassmen tormenting there "friend".

"You'd figure they'd have something better to do with there time." Ito muttered dragging her into the lunchroom. "It's sad that we're supposed to call those bastards 'Senpai' and 'Onii/Onee' like fucking dogs."

Openly she gaped, shocked that the other had such girl thoughts about someone they barely knew. Maybe she had looked at Ito's dismissive looks in the wrong way. Maybe they weren't submissive but full of subdued rage. She shivered and slowed down in her there and dash skidding to a stop.

"I have to apologize for that," They muttered stepping in front of her view of the cafe. "I usually don't get so wound up about things I happen to see. Bullying is just was something that tends to really bother me."

Not knowing what to do she nodded along to the words and took her hand back, running at the now red skin. It appeared as if the other teen's nails had dug into her flesh drawing fresh blood to the surface. She flinched.

"Let's just go to lunch." Ririka muttered feeling as if she was in the way of the students angrily swarming past them.

The whole conversation was beginning to make her feel awkward and she wanted it to end already. Hesitantly, she watched them nod and let go of her hand which she immediately checked for blood. Small little droplets popped from a few scratches but besides that she was find. However it still made her body become frozen from the whole occurrence.

* * *

Just as she had thought the cafeteria was packed to capacity with students. From where the two stood in line she had a clear view of there classmates


	5. Overall Update And Status

_Hello my dear readers and character volunteers! It's been a longtime, hasn't it?_

_I've never forgotten about this story and I have been trying to finish it, life just hasn't been in my team during this. I thought about it and i decided you guys deserve a update on why exactly i haven't written anything in nearly six months, why i havent woroed on this story in a year and other things._

_One of the big factors was a i stupidly deleted the app i had the rest of chapter one on off of my kindle and that made me super upset. I had about three thousand more words and the app never saved it to my google drive for some reason. However i have saved the beggining of it on Ao3 so thats a win._

_Another thing is I kind of lost hope for this story and felt like i wasnt strong enough to write it, that everything was overwhelming to me. But now im evej more determined to finish this fic and prove to myself i can. I do own a discord server now thats pretty hefty but i can manage._

_Also errrr other things that still got me mentally screwed but i will explain that later._

_I can't promise a update before the summer but there will be one, i can say that._


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